The present invention relates to a detachable connector. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connector having a housing, which has housing units that can be separated.
Patent Reference has disclosed an example of a conventional connector 104 of this type. FIGS. 20 through 22 show the conventional connector 104 disclosed in Patent Reference.
Patent Reference: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-17187
The connector 104 mainly includes a base body 102 made of a resin, and a cover body 105 similarly made of a resin. FIG. 20 is a side view of the connector 104 which is in use; FIG. 21 is an enlarged top view of a connecting portion between the base body 102 and the cover body 105; and FIG. 22 is an enlarged view to illustratively show an operation of the connector 104 upon releasing a jointed portion.
The base body 102 and the cover body 105 are respectively used as a housing unit, and can be separated from each other. The base body 102 and the cover body 105 can be put together and thereby form a fitting opening (receiving surface) 123, into which a mating connector 100 connected to a cable 101 can be fitted. The base body 102 has protrusions 108 on its both side surfaces. When the protrusions 108 are elastically joined to holes 156 provided near each end of projecting arm section 155 of the cover body 105 from the outside, the base body 102 can rotatably support the cover body 105.
In the conventional connector with the configuration, especially by designing the projecting arm section 155 to be elastically deformable, even if an unexpected force is applied to the joint section between the base body 102 and the cover body 105, the hole 156 comes off from the protrusion 108 by elastically deforming the projecting arm section 155, and thereby damage of the connector can be prevented. The configuration for the separation may be improved by providing a slanted surface 182 on the protrusion 108, so that the hole 156 of the cover body 105 moves over the slanted surface 182.
However, in the conventional structure, the resistance against an unexpected force substantially depends only on a length of the projecting arm section 155 and the elasticity of the resin, so that possibility of damage still remains significant. Further, since the conventional structure exhibits twist resistance only in the lateral direction but hardly exhibits in the lower part, there still needs significant improvement.
The present invention is provided to solve the above-described problems in the conventional techniques. An object of the invention is to provide a connector that can effectively prevent a damage of a housing or a connector by improving the twist resistance in various directions, reinforcing the elastic action at the joint section; and intentionally separating the housing upon receiving excess force.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.